Psychopath
by Human Emotions
Summary: A childhood tragedy has left Roxas scarred and abusive. Namine looks to no one for comfort, but finds it anyway. Namiku after a few chapters.
1. Chapter 1

He didn't always make me cry. Not when we were little. Before. It seems like it was so long ago. It was only a few years ago. The good times. When he didn't make us cry. My sister and I. Sometimes it was only his words. But they hurt so badly. I wanted him to cry with us. Once, he did. He would yell at us, and we would sob and beg him to stop. And once, he cried too.

"_And, you know what? Then he started to cut her fingers off. One by one. And he would grin and toss them over to me. And I was crying and all, like a big baby. She was out cold. She stopped screaming. I thought she was dead. She wasn't, though. Her hands poured blood. It freaked me out. My little sis' was bawling. He put the knife to her neck and just… he slit her throat. She stopped crying. There was blood everywhere. My mother screamed again. She sobbed and screamed and blood kept coming from her wounds. Like it would never stop."_

I shudder just thinking about it.

"_Stop it, Roxy!" I would sob. Kairi would just cry with her eyes closed. "Please!" I'd scream, tears pouring over my lips and into my mouth, the salty tang waking my taste buds. "Shut up and let me talk, Namine," he would say clearly before striking me. It hurt. I cried even more. I was glad Kairi didn't see him hit me. _

I touch my cheek gingerly, as if he had just slapped me. No, it had been weeks ago.

"_I had to live it once, and it keeps coming back. Now you get to feel the same way, Nami. We're in this together, remember?" he would taunt. "I… remember… you're promise, Roxas…" I would muster, tasting blood in my mouth. My head would swirl for a few minutes after he hit me. Kairi would hug her knees to her chest and choke out a sob every few minutes. "I have to leave this house soon." He would frown then, running his hands over the wallpaper, feeling the texture. "It's my home. My nightmare." He grinned with vicious fangs._

I woke, startled. It was morning. Huh. It was a dream. I should have known that. They always end the same way. It was a replay. I choked back a sob and prepared for school, but it was Saturday. Roxas day. I felt a tear trickle down my cheek. I loved him, yeah. In an "I can never leave you," sort of way. Not in a "Let's get hitched!" sort of way, no. Kairi feels the same. She opens my bedroom door a crack and whispers, "I had that dream again." I nod, saying "Me too. C'mere." I invited her to sit with me on the bed. Kairi is only ten, but I'm fourteen. Roxas is fourteen, too. He's been my best friend since we were both in kindergarten, seven years old.

"_Namine! Don't run away from me!"_

Shudder, sob. Hug Kairi. Stop thinking. Get ready for more nightmares. Saturday. No use in crying until he got here. "Breakfast," I mumbled. Kairi nodded. Too young to understand fully. Too young to know what she knows. What I know. What Roxas knows too well. "I'll be right there," I gasped, suddenly my eyes are wide. "G-go, Kairi, I swear I'll be there." She nodded again and hopped off the bed. Scampered out the door, slamming it behind.

"_Namine Fischer, get your ass back over here." He grabbed my arm, pulling me toward him. Too tight. Pain. Overwhelming pain._

"Stop," I whispered to myself. Another day, another horror story. Worse than the slasher movies her father took her to. She had groaned, "_Daddy!_" but he had still taken her to the awful movies. She sighed now, thinking that would be a sweet release from what she was going to experience.

"_Don't cry, Nami, I haven't even hurt you." He locked the door. Kairi had her face buried in her arms, but I could tell she was crying. I was, too. The way he called me Nami, it was heartbreaking. He used to say it with affection and love, but now he said it as if he was smirking. He took me in his arms, embraced me. I felt his breath on my neck. It scared me, he was too close. "Roxas…" I sputtered through tears. I didn't say any more._

Jolt into reality, Namine. It's not real. No, no, no. Just a memory. But it was real, once, Namine. But not anymore, no.

_But it will be._


	2. Chapter 2

I kicked the dirt with the toe of my shoe. Kairi was complaining about the sun, but I wasn't paying attention. I couldn't pay attention. Not with Roxas near. I knew he was near. He always was. It was inevitable, just like a seventh grader asking a ninth grader to the junior high dance. The answer would inevitably be _no,_ because it was always a taken ninth grader. It was a dare that the seventh graders had started a few years back. No point in explaining it now.

I heard footsteps grinding against gravel, like a miniature war. I closed my eyes. Kairi's whining stopped immediately. I could sense her pupils widening and her tongue getting dry, mostly because mine did the same thing. My heart thumped against its cage, trying to break free and fly away. Through my throat. It wasn't pleasant.

His cool hand enveloped mine. He was more solemn than usual. It was relieving. But when I looked into his eyes, they told another story. They were dark and bloodshot. He winced when I frowned. "You're judging, it kills me," he mumbled. He seemed like a different person. "What else kills you?" I whispered. His eyes grew tired and sad. He looked around before moving his hand further up my arm. He squeezed my arm, cutting off my circulation. "Stop, Roxas," I gasped. He glared at me. "Shut up, Namine Fischer."

Him dragging me by the shirt collar wasn't the worst part. It was that he had Kairi by the wrist. "Roxas, let her go!" I pled, on the verge of tears. It was early morning, about six-thirty, and it was Saturday. Mother had to leave very early each morning, and didn't get back til late afternoon. There was no father in my life. We were going back to my house. My empty, lonely house.

He shoved me toward the door so I could unlock it. Kairi whimpered, still in his grasp. I fumbled with the key, trying to hurry so he would release her. Finally, I unlocked the creaky door. It opened with a low whine. He pushed me through the doorway, followed by Kairi. I prayed silently to a God I wasn't sure existed, but it was worth a shot. Roxas slammed the door behind us. I winced, as if this house was a part of me, and that that had seriously stung. I heard the _click_ of the lock and the near-silent footsteps of my little sister. Her ballerina slippers, an odd choice, made virtually no noise.

The moment I stepped into our old living room, he grabbed the back of my shirt. I gasped. Kairi whimpered. I heard Roxas spit a command at her, one that I didn't hear. The sound of my heart beating was disabling my auditory senses. Then Roxas was breathing against my neck. He wrapped his arms around me. I swallowed, my mouth as dry as the Sahara. I heard his lips part, as if to say something. He said nothing. Kairi had left the room without my noticing. "Roxas Kaine," I whispered. "Hm?" he replied, almost calm. His embrace did not feel comforting. It felt wrong. Out of place. "What are you doing?" I asked, my voice shaking. He laughed lightly. A wave of misery washed over me. It was the first time I'd heard him laugh like that since the murder.

"Namine," he started, "I love you." I swallowed, digesting that, wondering what he meant. "I… love you, too, Roxas… Maybe not in the same way as you, but I do love you…" I told him truthfully. "I know," he mumbled into my hair. "I know."

We stayed quiet like that for a few minutes. Then Roxas released me and left. Just like that. I found Kairi in my bedroom, staring out the window. "Kairi, honey?" I asked, as if she was a shy dog. She looked at me sorrowfully. I slowly walked to her and wrapped my arms around her, sighing. "He left, honey." She nodded. "I know he did," she told me. Then, "Did he hurt you?" That startled me. "No, hun, he didn't."

***

"_Namine Fischer, don't run from me." Grab, tear. "No!" Sobbing. "You don't control this, Namine, this is mine! All mine!" He pulled his hand back and slapped me across the face. My shirt was in tatters after he ripped it. I was suddenly frightened for my life. "You can't run away, Namine! You know you can't." Truth in that. He pulled me to him. My chest against his. My heart beat wildly, his didn't make a single movement. Adrenaline pumping through my veins. "No, no, no!" I cried, struggling to get free. He chuckled darkly. "Yes, yes, yes," he prompted. I felt hot tears stream down my cheeks. He frowned at that. "Your make-up is smearing, darling." Sob. "Please Roxas, please!" I begged, using all my energy to free myself. "Stop struggling, Namine." _

_My back against the wall. His evil grin. Unnatural. "I'm not going to hurt you," he cooed. "Yes you are," I spat. "No, no, because, Namine, I love you." I winced. "Stop it," I say, arguing hopelessly. "Pah, there is nothing to stop." His breath tickled my neck. Goosebumps ran up and down my arms. His mouth, too close to my skin. "Hush, little baby, don't say a word," he whispered, his words like fog. He didn't finish the rhyme. My eyes, wide with terror, met his. They were a gleaming, ruby red. My lips parted. He crushed his against mine in a startling kiss. I choked back a sob. Too real for right now. I needed release, not torture. He pulled away from the "kiss" and smiled. "I love you." I bit my lip. "I love you, too," I whispered, giving up._

"_You should. I'll give you life. You just have to kiss me yourself." It was tempting. Not tempting enough, however. "Never. I won't kiss you, Kaine." He scoffed. "Well, get ready for hell, Namine Fischer." I closed my eyes, then opened them, prepared. "Because this is my home. My nightmare." He grinned with vicious fangs._

_Inevitable. _


	3. Chapter 3

(A/N: Please realize that this town will be nothing like the actual Traverse Town. Thanks.)

groan as I roll out of my bed. I toss my pillow to the floor so I can properly see my alarm clock. 7:12. Not a great time to wake up this time of year. I groan loudly. I start to roll of the bed, nearly falling completely. I regain my balance and look down at my purple pajamas. I decide they're fine for now. I pull a comb through my hair quickly and head over to Kairi's room.

"Kairiii!" I holler to her bedroom door. I hear a mumbled response and open the door. I almost laugh at what I see. Kairi is in a tangle of bedspread and her own body, in a heap on the floor. "Oh, poor, poor, Kairi," I say, snickering. I help her out of the mess. "Hey, just because you're the great Namine doesn't mean that you haven't fallen out of bed!" she retorts. I nod, still snickering. She crosses her arms. I let a laugh out. "Okay, Kairi, I'm sorry. Hey, lookie, that rhymes!" She rolls her eyes and pushes past me into the hall.

"You're in a chipper mood today," she mumbles to her bowl of oatmeal. "Dude, you're, what, ten? Where're you learning all this fancy words?" I ask. "I do have ears, you know," she says to her breakfast again. "Alright, alright. Somebody sure woke up on the wrong side of the bed - or floor - this morning," I note with a smile. She grumbles something I don't hear as I head back up to my bedroom.

I yawn along the way, still tired. "Nngh," I mumble sleepily to my door. I have one hand on the doorknob, and I feel like I'm going to pass out. But, to my surprise, I steady myself again the door. I take a deep breathe, regaining my senses, and enter my bedroom. "Damn… why I am so tired?" I say to myself. I shake my head wearily as I dress for the day. A grey t-shirt; denim skirt; sneakers; and dark grey arm warmers, just for fashion. I have a hunch that I'll be seeing my silver-headed classmate again today.

I smirk into the full-body mirror that has yet to be hung on the wall. It lays tilted against my bedroom wall, yearning to be displayed. I don't know why these thoughts occur to me, but I'm sure they have a reason. I sigh and exit the room, closing the door behind me. If I had looked back, I would've seen "NAMINE'S ROOM" written in purple Sharpie marker on the door. That's been there since I was six years old and had just discovered permanent markers.

The stairs seem like they're trying to torture me, multiplying every time I step down. But, after what seems like forever, I reach the floor. The white tiles feel smooth against my bare feet. I take a moment to absorb every feeling, every tingle and twitch in the room. That moment is interrupted by Kairi. "What _are _you doing, Namine?" she asks me. I narrow my eyes at her. "Nothing!" I say, wanting to bolt like a startled ewe. My fingers start to twitch slightly. "I'm leaving," I tell her, heading for the door. "Where?" she asks, sounding innocent. "Somewhere!" I yell and yank the door open. "Mom's sleeping!" I say before I run out of the house and away from my sister.

I skid to a stop as soon as I reach Main Street. I lean up against the wall of a building - the bank, I suppose - and catch my breath. I really shouldn't sprint from my house to the other side of the town so often. But, hey, if it's worth it, than it's worth it. And it is.

While catching my breath, I scope the sidewalks. Sure enough, there he is. I figure that I must be pretty damn lucky to be finding him again. He doesn't see me quite yet, but I still watch him from the corner of my eye. Then I walk over to his side of the street, quite nonchalantly if you ask me. That is until I trip on the curb. Painted bright yellow and I still don't notice it. I shake my head and I inspect my scraped hands and knees. Then another person's hand reaches down to help me. I look up to see who it is.

"Err, hey, Riku," I say, my mouth not functioning correctly. I hear him chuckle lightly as I take his hand. I wince a bit from the stinging, but I get over it. "Hey Nami," he says with a smirk on his face. His aqua-colored eyes shine brightly for a split second before returning to normal eye-glossiness. I find myself gazing into his eyes, looking like a moron. "Uh, Namine?" he asks after he realizes what I'm doing. I shake my head quickly, blushing. "Huh?" I wonder, as if I have just woken from a wonderful dream. "Never mind," he says, grinning. His smile causes me to turn a deeper shade of red. "But, hey," he starts, choosing his words carefully, "are you doing anything tonight?"


	4. Chapter 4

(A/N: Please realize that this town will be nothing like the actual Traverse Town. Thanks.)

groan as I roll out of my bed. I toss my pillow to the floor so I can properly see my alarm clock. 7:12. Not a great time to wake up this time of year. I groan loudly. I start to roll of the bed, nearly falling completely. I regain my balance and look down at my purple pajamas. I decide they're fine for now. I pull a comb through my hair quickly and head over to Kairi's room.

"Kairiii!" I holler to her bedroom door. I hear a mumbled response and open the door. I almost laugh at what I see. Kairi is in a tangle of bedspread and her own body, in a heap on the floor. "Oh, poor, poor, Kairi," I say, snickering. I help her out of the mess. "Hey, just because you're the great Namine doesn't mean that you haven't fallen out of bed!" she retorts. I nod, still snickering. She crosses her arms. I let a laugh out. "Okay, Kairi, I'm sorry. Hey, lookie, that rhymes!" She rolls her eyes and pushes past me into the hall.

"You're in a chipper mood today," she mumbles to her bowl of oatmeal. "Dude, you're, what, ten? Where're you learning all this fancy words?" I ask. "I do have ears, you know," she says to her breakfast again. "Alright, alright. Somebody sure woke up on the wrong side of the bed - or floor - this morning," I note with a smile. She grumbles something I don't hear as I head back up to my bedroom.

I yawn along the way, still tired. "Nngh," I mumble sleepily to my door. I have one hand on the doorknob, and I feel like I'm going to pass out. But, to my surprise, I steady myself again the door. I take a deep breathe, regaining my senses, and enter my bedroom. "Damn… why I am so tired?" I say to myself. I shake my head wearily as I dress for the day. A grey t-shirt; denim skirt; sneakers; and dark grey arm warmers, just for fashion. I have a hunch that I'll be seeing my silver-headed classmate again today.

I smirk into the full-body mirror that has yet to be hung on the wall. It lays tilted against my bedroom wall, yearning to be displayed. I don't know why these thoughts occur to me, but I'm sure they have a reason. I sigh and exit the room, closing the door behind me. If I had looked back, I would've seen "NAMINE'S ROOM" written in purple Sharpie marker on the door. That's been there since I was six years old and had just discovered permanent markers.

The stairs seem like they're trying to torture me, multiplying every time I step down. But, after what seems like forever, I reach the floor. The white tiles feel smooth against my bare feet. I take a moment to absorb every feeling, every tingle and twitch in the room. That moment is interrupted by Kairi. "What _are _you doing, Namine?" she asks me. I narrow my eyes at her. "Nothing!" I say, wanting to bolt like a startled ewe. My fingers start to twitch slightly. "I'm leaving," I tell her, heading for the door. "Where?" she asks, sounding innocent. "Somewhere!" I yell and yank the door open. "Mom's sleeping!" I say before I run out of the house and away from my sister.

I skid to a stop as soon as I reach Main Street. I lean up against the wall of a building - the bank, I suppose - and catch my breath. I really shouldn't sprint from my house to the other side of the town so often. But, hey, if it's worth it, than it's worth it. And it is.

While catching my breath, I scope the sidewalks. Sure enough, there he is. I figure that I must be pretty damn lucky to be finding him again. He doesn't see me quite yet, but I still watch him from the corner of my eye. Then I walk over to his side of the street, quite nonchalantly if you ask me. That is until I trip on the curb. Painted bright yellow and I still don't notice it. I shake my head and I inspect my scraped hands and knees. Then another person's hand reaches down to help me. I look up to see who it is.

"Err, hey, Riku," I say, my mouth not functioning correctly. I hear him chuckle lightly as I take his hand. I wince a bit from the stinging, but I get over it. "Hey Nami," he says with a smirk on his face. His aqua-colored eyes shine brightly for a split second before returning to normal eye-glossiness. I find myself gazing into his eyes, looking like a moron. "Uh, Namine?" he asks after he realizes what I'm doing. I shake my head quickly, blushing. "Huh?" I wonder, as if I have just woken from a wonderful dream. "Never mind," he says, grinning. His smile causes me to turn a deeper shade of red. "But, hey," he starts, choosing his words carefully, "are you doing anything tonight?"


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N: I realize that I switch from "says" to "said," et cetera several times in this story. Sorry _. Also, this is a long chapter. Enjoy?)

"No," I say, blushing furiously. I can't believe what I'm hearing. "Then, would you wanna… go out… with me?" he asks, becoming slightly nervous. He doesn't seem like the nervous type. "Yeah," I say, ready to explode. "Great," he says, regaining his natural cool. "Uh-huh," I nod, smiling. "So… I'll call you." I nod. "Sure," I say, trying to keep my voice under control. "Wait!" I say, remembering that he actually has to _have _my number in order to call me. I pull the purple Sharpie - my best friend - from my back pocket and scribble my phone number on his right hand. His skin is warm, and my handwriting is shaky as I hold it. He grins at me and turns to leave. As he does that, I wonder if it was a bad idea giving him my home phone number. I dismiss the thought and turn to walk home, tripping in the process.

"Smooth, Namine," I grumble to myself. I lift myself up in a push-up-like fashion and look back to see if Riku noticed. It appears that he didn't, but I swear that I heard him laughing. I shake my head once more, walking back toward my house. I don't even want to think about telling my mother or Kairi where I'm going tonight, but I assume that I'll have to eventually. Probably.

I sit by the phone for minutes, though it seems like hours. Finally, I hear a ringing. My hand instantly reaches up to pick up the phone, but I don't want to sound too eager, so I wait about one second before taking the phone out of its cradle. "Fischer residence," I say so cheerfully it seems like my voice is smiling. I hear a soft chuckle from the other end. "Hey Nami," a voice says. "Hi," I reply, blushing. Thank Universe he can't see me, I think. "So, about tonight…" he starts, getting confused. I hear a beep. Call waiting. I sigh. "Hey, Riku, I'll call you back, m'kay? I have another call," I tell him, trying to hide how upset I am. "Err, sure, that's fine. Later, Nami." I sigh one more time before answering the other call.

"Fischer residence," I repeat into the telephone. It's quiet for a moment, and then there's a voice. "Na-Namine?" the voice asks softly. "Mhm? Who is this?" I ask, curious. "Roxas, of course," he growls. I swallow hard. "Roxy? I mean, Roxas? Why are you calling?" I ask, fighting off panic. "I… they're putting me in a foster home. I just wanted to say…" He coughs away from the phone. "I wanted to tell you that… they're also forcing me to see a shrink. I thought you should know… I'm gonna talk about you," he says. I can sense him squirming, like a seven-year-old. I feel small tears forming at the corners of my eyes. "You sound so different," I whisper. "Yeah, Nami, I know. Hey, have I ever tried to kiss you?" he asks, as if he wouldn't remember if he had. "No, Roxy, never," I say, feeling a tear slither down my cheek. "Really? Huh." Mumbling. "Why?" I say, disguising the mental pain that's forcing itself upon me.

"No reason. Love you," he says before slamming the phone in its own cradle. I let the phone drop and dangle by its cord. The dial tone is louder than it should be; it echoes through the kitchen, bouncing off the walls. "Call your boyfriend," someone whispers. I don't need to turn around to know that it's Kairi. "Okay," I whisper in return, picking up the phone and placing it gently against the receiver.

After I had caught my breath for about fifteen minutes, I decided to give talking to Riku another chance. I looked back through the list of recent calls and punched the 'call' button when I found the right number. My breathing became shaky again once the ringing pulsed into my ear. Ring ring, ring ring, ri- "Hello?" I grimaced; amazed at the way he answered the phone. "Riku?" I squeaked, and then tried to steady my voice. "Yeah? Nami?" I frowned. His telephone etiquette wasn't very well, but I would have to settle for it. "Mhm… so, what did you want to talk about before," I ask, blushing.

"Oh, yeah!" he says, as if he'd forgotten. "So, are you still up for… you know, going out?" I giggle softly, nodding. Then I realize that people can't see through the telephone, so I say "Yes."

"Erm, where to?" he asks. I groan. "How am I supposed to know?" I demand. Then, feeling rude, I say, "Sorry. I just mean… _you _asked _me_… gah! I don't know _what _I mean, Riku," I sigh into the phone. "Hey, it's fine," he laughs. "Let's hang out at the park," he suggests. Great, he wants to _hang out. _"Sounds fun," I say, trying to sound relaxed and delighted. "So, uh, do you want me to pick you up? I don't know how romantic riding in a car with my mom could be, but…" It half-sounds like he's trying to joke. "My mom can drop me off," I say quickly. "Oh. Okay," he replies, sounding relieved. "So, six-ish? Seven-ish?" I ask hurriedly. "How about five-ish? I mean, if that's okay with you." I smile. "Sure thing. Park, five-ish o'clock. See you then," I say brightly. "Yeah. See ya' Nami." I hear a faint 'click' and then the annoying dial tone. "Oh. Hot. Damn," I say to the emptiness of my kitchen.

"Mom! I need you to take me uptown at five!" I shout from my bedroom doorway. Considering I don't have a shirt on, this is as uncovered as I'm going to get. "Sure thing!" she hollers back. "Thanks," I say before closing the door and turning to face my closet. The mirror leans up against the wall and glares at me, showing me every imperfection. I turn away from it, flushed. Though it is a simple mirror, just glass, I can feel it hating me.

I sort through my dresser, my closet, and the laundry basket of clothes that sits on my bed. "Thanks for the laundry," I mumble. Finally, I decide on a lilac mesh tank top, tan capris, and my most coveted lavender sandals - the ones that are exclusively for special occasions. The metallic, Roman-style shoes are simply to-die-for, in my opinion.

After I'm dressed, I turn back toward the judgmental mirror. I start by trying to comb through my hair with my fingers, but give up on that and search for an actual hairbrush. When I find one, I pull it through my pale blonde hair, sighing contentedly. Suddenly I feel my pulse quicken and my skin heat up. This is my first date. I'm going to screw up. I can feel it. I set the brush down, swallowing hard. "Calm down, Namine," I mutter shakily to myself. I apply my eyeliner and et cetera, stopping occasionally so my hands can shake. I sigh smoothly, trying to release every ounce of pressure from my body. Then I continue to "dress up."

"Mom!" I shout up the stairs impatiently. I've been waiting for a full minute now, tapping my foot and standing in front of the door. "Oh, hold your horses, Nami-Nam." I turn up my nose to that pet name. "It's Namine, Mom," I tell her firmly. "Oh, alright," she says, rolling her eyes. She opens the door, grinning. "After you, milady." I'm the one rolling my eyes this time. She smiles; her arms are still raised in a grand gesture. I shake my hand and step into the cool late-afternoon air. I rush to the car, my sandals making a gritty sound against our sidewalk. As soon as I slam my door shut and click my seatbelt into place, my mother jams the key in the ignition. I decide against asking her, _What's got your panties in a bunch? _when we pull out of the driveway. I slink back into my seat, focusing on the few stars that are daring enough to peak through the almost dark-blue sky. It's more of a dark periwinkle color, actually. Soon my thoughts drift to Blue's Clues, and before I realize it, my mother is staring at me, not saying a word. "Hn?" I ask, shaking out of my daze. "We're. Here." I blink and look forward. Indeed, we are. "Oh. Thanks, Mom. I'll call you when you should pick me up, m'kay?" She nods. I lean over and kiss her cheek. "Buh-bye."

As soon as I'm out of the car, my mother leaves. _Humph. Well, be that way, _I think to myself. I look around before strolling over to an old-looking swing set. I sit in one of the low seats, causing the whole thing to squeak miserably. "Hey, Nami!" a friendly voice calls. I raise my head slowly to see who it might be. I smile as I identify his voice, then his face. "Riku," I say, unable to stop smiling. He strolls over and occupies the swing beside me. "Hey," I whisper, looking down to hide my blush. "Something wrong?" he asks, sounding concerned. "No!" I say, looking up at him. He grins. "Great." Then he takes my hand and pecks it. I blush even harder now, looking away.

I hear his faint laughter behind me. "Why are you laughing?" I demand, trying my hardest not to smile. "I can't help it," he says, smirking. "Yeah, yeah," I mumble, still looking away.

"Fischer." I freeze. "Mhm?" I respond with my eyes closed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I'm sure now that Riku is either worried, confused, pissed off, or all three. I turn to face him. "Riku, this is Roxas. Roxas, Riku." I turn back toward my old friend. Then I notice him. His face is like stone, but angry. He's glaring at us, clutching something in his hand. He takes a step forward. "Roxas," I say shakily. "Why are you here?"

He seems put off by the question. "I wanted to say goodbye. You weren't home. You were _here. _And I thought you loved me," he said, shaking his head. "Roxas!" I say, raising my voice. Riku puts his hand on my shoulder. I shake him off and stand up, the swing set squeaking as I do. I take a few sheepish steps forward, scared to death. He clutches his whatever-it-is tighter. He too, steps forward to meet me. Faster than I, he appears in front of me. Raising one of his arms, he strokes my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. I touch his hand softly, hearing a high-pitched squeak behind me.

"No," I say to Riku. Then to Roxas, "What do you want?" He glares into my eyes, paralyzing me. His arm drops to his side. "What do I want?" he repeats, smirking. Suddenly, the item in his hand is raised to my throat. I stop myself from gasping. "R-Roxas, please…" I whisper, unable to move. He smiles, seeing my reflection in the blade of his knife. He uses the knife to tilt my head upward. I pray that Riku can't see any of this.

Uncontrollably, my hand rises and touches the blade. Stupidly, I grip it, wincing. I loosen the grip so I don't get cut. But the whole grabbing-the-knife thing was a dumb idea, considering Roxas yanked it away from me, slicing my hand. I bit my lip so I wouldn't cry out in pain. Roxas grinned at me, then inspected his weapon.

Riku sees this, though I prayed that he didn't. He marches right up to us, grabs the collar of my shirt and pulls me back away from Roxas. He looks me in the eyes, worried. I nod, holding my hand. "Hey!" shouts Roxas, annoyed. He shows off his knife, attempting to threaten Riku. It was a horribly failed attempt, at that. Riku was bigger than Roxas. He was probably smarter, too. I looked at the blood that oozes out of the cuts in my hand and down my arm. I shuddered, trying to look at the boys. They were glaring into each other's eyes, not moving. Until Riku punched him.

_This is stupid,_ thought Riku, then he raised his right arm - fist - and slugged Roxas in the chest. He staggered backwards, dropping the knife. Riku stepped forward, clutching the front of Roxas's shirt. He raised him off of the ground. Roxas squirmed and kicked like a puppy. "Stop it!" I yelled, on the verge of tears. Riku ignored me.

I lost it and started to sob. Choking, horrible sobs that did not effect Roxas very much at all. Riku, on the other hand, had never heard such terrible sounds. He dropped Roxas, - who fell to his hands and knees - snatched the knife from the grass and nearly ran to where I was, a few yards away. He knelt down beside me with his hand on my back. "Nami…" he muttered, obviously concerned. "No," I sobbed, "just go away!" He shook his head. "I can't do that, Nami," he insisted. I tried to suppress my choking sobs, but that wasn't working out too hot.

As soon as I had calmed down and pretty much stopped crying, Riku forced me to let him look at my hand.

It was a while later when I realized that Roxas had fled and I would probably never see him again. What a great way to say goodbye to your ex-best friend. _Now that you've stabbed me, I hope you disappear and rot in hell!_

No. That wasn't what it was like. It was more of an, _Dude, I know you kind of stabbed me and all, but I didn't want you to just leave._ It's a little weird, I know, but Roxas was my friend. Or at least he had been, a long time ago.

Riku noticed that I had zoned out and waved a hand in front of my face. "Huh?" I asked, shaken out of my thoughts. "Are you alright?" he asked, not sounding as worried as before. "Yeah, I'm… fine." He nodded. "I bet you want to go home, don't you?" he asked, frowning. "I'm fine. I don't care," I said, and it wasn't a lie. "Really?" Did he not believe me? "I'm not a liar, Riku," I said defensively. "Jeez, okay," he said, grinning. _Why is he _smiling_? _I thought. Shaking, I rose to my feet. Riku insisted on helping me, as if I was a toddler. He held my elbow as I walked to the swing set once again. "I'm fine," I snapped at him as I lowered myself into the seat. He eased up after that, taking his seat beside me.

We sat in silence for what seemed like hours, but was probably about a minute and a half. "Thank you," I mumbled. "Me?" he asked, and though I couldn't see, it seemed like his face had lit up. "Why?" I shrugged, looking for words that had escaped me. "Um…" I said intelligently, gripping the chains of the swing tightly. I looked up at him and saw that he was staring at my face. "What?" I demanded. He shook his head, still gazing at me. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable. My eyes wandered around, and the expression on my face read _"what the hell?"_

Finally, he moved. He grabbed the chain of my seat and pulled me toward himself. "Dude!" I said, a bit loudly, realizing that I was smiling. When the seat of my swing touched his, he gripped my waist and yanked me out of the seat. Instinctively, I kicked my legs wildly. But he had no intention of hurting me. He pulled me onto his lap, grinning. "Um…" I said again, wrapping my arms around his neck. It was a little obvious what was about to happen. He grinned, I grinned. "How do you feel about Crayola?" he asked. "Um…" I repeated, caught off guard. Then, easing up, I replied, "Crayola is obviously the right choice when it comes to coloring crayons, markers, colored pencils, and drawing utensils like that. I mean, Rose Art and other shitty brands like that are sooo not cool. And believe me, I should know." He laughed, not expecting an answer like mine. "Hm, yes, I agree. But sadly, I don't know much about 'drawing utensils,' as you do. Perhaps you should teach me sometime, yes?" I nodded. "Yes, indeed, that would be delightful!"

We continued our conversation like this until every star in the sky was twinkling brightly. I felt my eyes drooping subtly, and I begged them to stay open. _Please, please, please,_ I begged myself. _Stay awake!_

As our conversing deadened, Riku made random little comments about this and that. "That star is brighter than the one next to it." "Does the grass look dewy to you?" "The breeze is making it warmer than it should be." I nodded to each of his comments, too drowsy to actually reply. The frequency of his words reduced steadily, until once again we were sitting in silence, except for the high-pitched squeaking of the structure with each of our movements.

For the first time in a while, I felt happy. This struck me as odd, considering the events of the night.

I was sure my mother was at least slightly worried about me, but I had no intentions of leaving Riku. It seemed to me that he had saved my life. I didn't know quite how to thank him, so I said nothing. The silence was like a warm embrace from a lost lover, comforting and unreal. "Hey, Riku?" I asked with my eyes closed. "Yeah, Nami?" I smiled. "I love it when you call me that." Now it was his turn to smile. "I love being with you," he replied. I opened my eyes slowly, realizing that he was somewhat cradling me, like an infant. I straightened myself. "I love…" I started, trailing off, gazing into his turquoise eyes.

"So do I…" he mumbles, pressing his lips to mine.


	6. Chapter 6

'Twas about noon when I knocked on their door. I figured I shouldn't have gone over at seven, when I woke up, so I waited five excruciating hours until I bolted out the door barefoot.

I shifted my weight from foot to foot, waiting for either him or his sister to open the door. It had been thirteen days since I first kissed Riku Knight. I found his last name quite charming, considering he had "saved" me.

When nobody answered my knocking, I knocked again. I had learned that if I didn't give up and go home, someone was bound to open the door. And soon enough, the lock clicked and the door swung open. "You again?" a semi-familiar voice groaned. Riku's sister, Saffron, was standing in the doorway with a hand on her hip. In my opinion, her shorts were too short, her shirts were too tight, and everything about her screamed "whore." But that was just my opinion.

"You know where he is," she sighed, turning away. As she did, her straight and shiny auburn hair flipped over her shoulder. I suppressed a sigh of envy and entered their home. I inhaled deeply, falling in love with the place all over again. Their house smelled of rain and simple freshness. The colors of each room's possessions and décor inspired which mood you were supposed to be in.

"Oh, and Namiko," she called over her shoulder, "if he's asleep, tell him I said to get his ass downstairs." I nodded, but added, "It's Namine." She waved her hand, dismissing whatever I had said that she hadn't been listening to.

I dashed up the stairs and stopped dead in front of my boyfriend's - I loved being able to call him that - bedroom door. I pounded on it three times with my fist. I heard a muffled groan from behind it, and I took it as a "Come in, my love!" I flung the door open and bounded into his room. He was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. I took the opportunity and crawled on top of him. "Do you know what time it is?" I asked him, giggling.

He sighed. "Time for me to wake up?" he guessed. "Yup." I noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt. It didn't surprise me, most guys don't sleep with a shirt on. But I had only seen him fully clothed before. I felt myself blushing. He took note of this and grinned. "What's wrong, Nami?" he asked, still grinning. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him. My face got hotter until I was sure that I was going to explode.

My head rested against his chest while his arms wrapped around me, comforting me. I didn't exactly need to be comforted, but they did the job anyway. I pressed my lips to his bare chest, giggling now instead of being embarrassed. He shook his head, grinning. He did that a lot. Smiled. At least when I was around, he did. "C'mere," he coaxed, trying to get me to look at him. When I finally obeyed, I was greeted by his mesmerizing green-blue eyes.

"Nami?" he asked. "What are you staring at?" I felt my face heat up. "Um… nothing?" I improvised, still gathering my thoughts. He simply grinned and pressed his lips to mine, scattering them all over again. I didn't care much this time, just closed my eyes and tried to steady my heartbeat. I didn't exactly succeed at that, but I didn't exactly care, either.

It seemed that every kiss was more romantic and passionate than the one before. I liked that. Because this kiss was the single most romantic kiss I'd ever experienced, and if it was going to get better some other time… I just plain liked that.

After we had finished kissing some time later, we just laid there. I nearly fell asleep a few times, even. He had been stroking my hair, and my eyes closed… and I got tired often those days. It wasn't something I could control. Certainly not when I was laying in a cute boy's bed. That would be marvelous, wouldn't it? But, no, life's not exactly how it seems in fairy tales. But, I did have to admit, my life was pretty darn dandy.

It seemed like it had been hours since I climbed into Riku's bed. It turned out that it had only been about twenty-five minutes. Twenty-five perfect minutes, at that. Most of them, anyway. "Mm?" I mumbled as Riku stirred beneath me. "I think Saffron is getting ticked. We should probably go downstairs," he told me. I frowned, only a little, so he didn't really notice. "Oh. Okay." I sat up, suddenly feeling incomplete without his body pressed to mine. I sighed softly and got off of his bed so he could dress.

When he was decent, we walked downstairs together, hand in hand. I thought it was sweet, especially when Saffron saw us and made gagging motions with her hands. I wanted very badly to flip her the bird, but Riku was clutching my right hand - the hand I used for such bird-flipping. I very well could have used my left, but it didn't feel right.

Saffron eventually left sometime between when Riku kissed my cheek and when I sat on his lap. That, or when I kind of started to French him even before he ate breakfast. What a wonderful way to start the day, eh?


End file.
